Westminster City Council could again take action against developers who illegally demolished a much loved Kilburn pub for failing to rebuild it “brick by brick” by July 2018.

Posters have appeared heralding the return of the Carlton Tavern in Carlton Vale, fuelling the hopes of the local community.

The developer and owner of the pub, CLTX, sparked fury both locally and nationally when it bulldozed the interwar pub in April 2015, with no prior warning or permission to do so.

Notices appeared to suggest rebuilding work was starting in 2017 but quickly disappeared.

Rob Cope, a member of the Friends of the Carlton Tavern, said: “We are very pleased that, after so many false starts, the Carlton is at last being rebuilt.

“We hope the owners will now engage with the local community about restoring and running this much loved pub. Most of all we look forward to visiting the Carlton Tavern and having a drink there.”

The pub, which dates back to 1920, was knocked down with all its contents inside, shortly before it was due to be given a Grade II listing by Historic England.

CLTX, based in Tel Aviv and owned by Ori Calif, called in bulldozers after its application for planning permission in January 2015 to replace the pub with a bar and block of flats, was rejected by the council.

Following the demolition, council chiefs made an unprecedented legal decision to hand CLTX an enforcement notice ordering them to rebuild the pub quite literally brick by brick.

CTLX refused and appealed the decision – but the Planning Inspectorate found in favour of the council, following a public inquiry in May 2016, and ruled it was to be rebuilt “in facsimile” by July this year.

Westminster’s planning chief Richard Beddoe said: “We’re encouraged that construction appears to be under way at the Carlton Tavern site. It has been a long battle to ensure the pub is rebuilt brick by brick.

“However, it is also clear that our enforcement notice, insisting that work was completed within two years, has not been complied with, and as such we are considering whether any further action should be taken.”

CLTX said in a statement through BHD architects: “This is a very complex project and it has been necessary to carry out a detailed analysis of the remaining structure to ensure that the rebuilding materials match those of the previous pub. The rebuilding works are now in progress.

“We are confident, therefore, that building works will now continue to completion over the next few months.”

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